Herbs, Zest and Soft Things

Cooking Skills: Knife Skills 1

Chapter 3 · Herbs, Zest and Soft Things

Skill goal
Cut soft herbs, zest and citrus cleanly without bruising or bitterness.

Shopping list for this chapter

The basics

Herbs, zest and citrus segments are cut with the same care as any vegetable, but they are soft and easily crushed. Bruising (squashing the cells) turns herbs dark, wet and bitter. A sharp knife and light touch prevent it.

Soft herbs (parsley, coriander, mint, basil, dill, chives)

  • Dry them completely after washing: wet herbs slip and smear. Use a salad spinner or pat with a clean towel.
  • Strip the leaves from tough stalks. (Coriander and parsley stalks are tender enough to chop finely, and full of flavour.)
  • Bunch them tightly with the claw, and slice across, then rock the knife over them a few times. Don't keep chopping.
  • Cut basil and mint into ribbons (chiffonade), not chopped: they bruise and blacken very easily.
  • Cut herbs just before use. They lose flavour and colour if left.
1. Stack the leaves2. Roll tightly, then slicethin slices across the roll3. Fine ribbons
Figure 6. Chiffonade turns broad, soft leaves such as basil and mint into fine ribbons without bruising.

Woody herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano)

Pull the leaves off the stem (run your fingers down it against the way the leaves grow), then chop. Discard the woody stems.

Zest and citrus

ToolResultBest for
Microplane (fine grater)Fluffy zestBaking, dressings, gremolata
Vegetable peelerWide stripsInfusing, cocktails and slow cooking
Peeler, then knifeFine julienne zestGarnishes, salads
  • Only the coloured part is zest. The white pith beneath is bitter.
  • Zest before you juice the fruit; it is nearly impossible the other way round.
  • Mind your knuckles on the grater. Stop when you get close.

Try it

Level 1 · Start here

Gremolata

10 minutesmakes about 3 tablespoonsthe simplest chopped herb mixture

Parsley, lemon zest and a little garlic chopped together. Scatter on soups, fish, roasted vegetables and stews to freshen them.

Ingredients (4 portions)

  • 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 lemon, zest only
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pinch flaky salt
  1. Wash the parsley and dry it thoroughly. Pull the leaves from the stalks and gather them into a tight pile.
  2. Using the claw, slice across the pile finely, then rock the knife back and forth over the pile, a few times, to chop. Don't keep chopping: bruised parsley turns dark and wet.
  3. Zest the lemon with a fine grater (or peel off strips with a peeler and mince them finely), avoiding the white pith.
  4. Mix the parsley, zest and garlic with a pinch of flaky salt. Use the same day.
Level 2 · Sauce

Chimichurri-style herb sauce

15 minutesmakes about 150 mlhand-chopped, not blended

An Argentinian herb sauce. Chopping by hand keeps the texture loose and the flavour fresh. A blender makes it a purée.

Ingredients (6 portions)

  • 30 g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and fine stalks
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, or 1 tsp dried
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • ½ tsp salt
  1. Wash the herbs and dry them well. Chop the parsley and oregano finely, as in the gremolata.
  2. Mince the garlic. Mix everything in a bowl: herbs, garlic, vinegar, chilli and salt, then stir in the oil.
  3. Let it stand for 15 minutes so the flavours combine. Serve with grilled vegetables, fish, chicken or eggs.
Garlic and oil
Keep chimichurri in the fridge and eat it within 2 days: garlic in oil is not safe at room temperature.
Level 2 · Salad

Tabbouleh-style herb salad

30 minutes2 to 3 portionsmostly herbs, with a little grain

In a true tabbouleh the herbs are the main ingredient, not the grain. The parsley must be chopped finely but not crushed.

Ingredients (3 portions)

  • 40 g fine bulgur wheat
  • 100 ml boiling water
  • 40 g flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
  • 15 g mint, leaves only
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • ½ cucumber, diced
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 lemon, juice
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper
  1. Put the bulgur in a bowl, pour over the boiling water, cover, and leave for 10 to 15 minutes until soft. Fluff with a fork and cool.
  2. Wash and thoroughly dry the herbs. Chop the parsley finely (as small as you can without turning it to paste), then cut the mint into fine ribbons (see the chiffonade below).
  3. Dice the tomatoes and cucumber into small cubes (about 5 mm). Slice the spring onions thinly.
  4. Mix everything with the lemon juice, oil and seasoning. Chill for 15 minutes.
Level 3 · Citrus

Orange segments with mint

20 minutes2 portionscutting away the peel and pith

Cutting citrus into clean segments (also called supremes) removes the bitter white pith and the tough membranes. A sharp knife is essential.

Ingredients (2 portions)

  • 2 oranges
  • 6 mint leaves
  • 1 tsp honey (optional)
  1. Top and tail: slice a thin layer off the top and bottom of each orange so it stands flat.
  2. Peel: standing it upright, cut away the peel and white pith in strips, following the curve of the fruit from top to bottom. Turn and repeat until no white remains.
  3. Segment: holding the orange over a bowl (to catch the juice), cut along both sides of each segment, between the flesh and the membrane, to release it. Let the segments fall into the bowl.
  4. Squeeze the leftover membrane over the bowl. Roll the mint leaves up and cut into fine ribbons. Scatter over the oranges and drizzle with the honey, if using.

Experiments

Experiment

Dry or damp herbs

Why dry them?

  1. Wash two handfuls of parsley. Dry one thoroughly and leave the other damp. Chop both the same way.
  2. Compare the chopped piles after 10 minutes.

Look for: The damp parsley clumps and smears. The dry stays light and separate and holds its colour.

Experiment

Rock or slice

How much chopping is too much?

  1. Chop one pile of parsley with a few slices and rocks. Chop another for a full minute.
  2. Compare the colour and moisture.

Look for: The over-chopped parsley is darker, wet and mushy and has lost flavour. A few cuts are all you need.

Experiment

Fine or coarse zest

How does the grater matter?

  1. Zest lemons with a fine microplane and with the coarse side of a box grater. Stir equal amounts into plain yoghurt.
  2. Taste both.

Look for: The fine zest disappears into the yoghurt and perfumes it. The coarse zest gives bitter pieces. Fine is usually best.

Experiment

Segments or slices

Is the fuss worth it?

  1. Serve one orange as peeled segments and one as slices with the pith left on.
  2. Compare the taste and texture.

Look for: The segments are juicy and clean-tasting. The slices have a bitter, chewy pith and membrane.

Tasting notes

What I triedMethod or amountWhat I sawWhat I thoughtWill I do it again?
Gremolata
Chimichurri-style sauce
Tabbouleh-style salad
Orange segments with mint
Dry vs damp herbs
Short vs long chopping
Fine vs coarse zest
Segments vs slices

Troubleshooting

ProblemLikely causeWhat to do
Herbs dark and soggyDamp, over-chopped, or blunt knifeDry them; chop lightly; sharpen
Basil blackensChopped, bruisedCut in ribbons just before serving
Bitter zestPith includedZest only the coloured part
Citrus segments tornDull knife or poor cutsCut right along the membrane with a sharp paring knife
Herb sauce dullBlended, or left too longChop by hand; eat within 2 days
Bulgur glueyToo much waterUse just enough boiling water and fluff with a fork
Knife and food safety
Knife safety: a sharp knife is safer than a blunt one, because it needs less force and slips less. Always cut on a stable board (put a damp cloth underneath), tuck your guiding fingertips back (the claw), carry a knife with the point down and the edge away from you, and never try to catch a falling knife: step back and let it fall. Wash knives by hand and dry them at once; never leave one in a sink of water where you can't see it. Store them in a block, on a magnetic strip or in guards, not loose in a drawer. A cut-resistant glove on your guiding hand is a sensible aid while you learn. If you cut yourself, apply firm pressure with a clean cloth, and get medical help for a deep cut or one that won't stop bleeding.

Peeled citrus is slippery: cut it with a sharp paring knife and keep your fingers well back. Mind your knuckles on a grater. Hygiene: wash your hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling raw meat, fish or eggs, and don't use the same board for raw meat and for food that won't be cooked. Wash fruit, vegetables and herbs that you eat raw. Herb sauces containing raw garlic and oil should be kept in the fridge and eaten within 2 days.

Leftovers: cool cooked food quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), keep it covered in the fridge, and eat it within 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
  • I can chop soft herbs without bruising them.
  • I can cut basil and mint into ribbons.
  • I can zest a lemon without the pith.
  • I can cut citrus into segments.
  • I know why herbs must be dry.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Knife Skills 1, chapter 4 is Vegetable Cuts: batons, julienne, dice, rondelles and the diagonal.